1. Field of Invention
This invention relates to apparatus and related methods for blocking the flow of water from a broken or activated fire sprinkler.
2. Description of Related Art
Fire sprinkler systems are occasionally placed in buildings for fighting unexpected or out of control fires. The individual sprinklers within the system generally feature a plugged nozzle that is (a) located at the end of a fluid filled or fluid fed pipe and (b) directed toward a deflector plate. Typically, the plug in the nozzle is configured to give way to the fluid whenever the same is heated beyond a threshold temperature. See, e.g., U.S. Pat. No. 4,616,710 (issued Oct. 14, 1986); see also vials filled with heat-expanding fluids which rupture when heated to a threshold temperature. While a sprinkler nozzle is unplugged, a condition known colloquially as “activated,” the fluid flows from the sprinkler and is deflected by the deflector plate over an area within the building until the pipe is either drained of fluid, the fluid feed is shut-off, or the nozzle is re-plugged. Sprinklers are typically coupled to water piping with one half inch male national pipe thread (NPT) or three quarters inch male NPT for high volume water flows. Many buildings have a combination of different sized, and sometimes differently shaped, sprinklers.
For fluid filled sprinkler systems, occasions arise wherein plugging the accidentally activated nozzle is more preferable than draining the pipe or shutting-off the fluid feed. For example, plugging an accidentally activated nozzle is preferred to draining the pipe because, otherwise, the fluid is unnecessarily wasted or causes damage. Furthermore, plugging an activated nozzle is also preferred to draining the pipe whenever either: (1) all the fluid is not necessary to extinguish a fire because water is otherwise wasted; or (b) historic pipe conditions (e.g., rust, bacteria, mold and the like) or chemical additives have rendered toxic the fluid since the toxic fluid can cause damage to humans and environments proximate to the sprinkler system.
For fluid fed sprinkler systems, circumstances arise wherein plugging activated nozzles is more preferable than shutting-off the fluid feed of the system. Like fluid filled systems, fluid fed sprinkler systems should be plugged whenever its sprinklers are either activated accidentally or contain toxic fluid to avoid wasted fluid or fluid damage. Plugging an activated sprinkler in a fluid fed system is usually preferred to shutting-off the fluid feed to the pipe whenever shutting-off the fluid feed: is an expensive or difficult undertaking; results in no mechanisms for firefighting while the feed is shut-off (i.e., the building is at risk because there is no fire prevention mechanism); or expensive or difficult to turn back on.
In view of the foregoing, a need exists for mechanisms which are capable of deactivating or otherwise plugging a sprinkler. Apparatus and related methods have been developed to meet said need. Yet, until now none of said apparatus and methods have completely met said need.
Wedge apparatus are known which are configured to plug a sprinkler nozzle whenever positioned between the deflector plate and nozzle. See, e.g., U.S. Pat. No. 845,918 (issued Mar. 5, 1907), U.S. Pat. No. 2,700,423 (issued Jan. 25, 1955), and, U.S. Pub. Pat. App. No. 2008/0083544 (published Apr. 10, 2008). Although useful for quickly deactivating sprinklers, wedge apparatus are not entirely satisfactory for all circumstances. One unsatisfactory aspect of a wedge apparatus is that the interface between the wedge and the nozzle is not always water tight because of the wedge incline. Another unsatisfactory aspect of a wedge apparatus is that the wedge must be manually removed with the result being that the sprinkler cannot automatically activate in view of an unexpected fire.
Capping apparatus are further known for deactivating sprinkler nozzles. See e.g., U.S. Pat. No. 2,986,242 (issued May 23, 1961), U.S. Pat. No. 4,676,320 (issued Jan. 30, 1987), U.S. Pat. No. 4,830,117 (issued May 16, 1989), U.S. Pat. No. 6,487,942 (issued Dec. 3, 2002). While capping apparatus are capable of plugging a sprinkler nozzle, capping apparatus cannot ordinarily be universally applied to all sprinklers. Also, like the wedge and lift apparatus, capping apparatus must be manually removed and, as a result, the sprinkler cannot automatically activate in view of an unexpected fire.
Balloon apparatus are known which are configured to expand between the deflector plate and nozzle opening whereby the expansion plugs the nozzle. See, e.g., U.S. Pat. No. 7,025,285 (issued Apr. 11, 2006). Balloon apparatus can be useful for quickly deactivating a sprinkler. However, balloon apparatus require a substantial amount of compressed air to accomplish deactivation of a sprinkler nozzle. Furthermore, compressed air sources are not always available. Accordingly, balloon apparatus are not satisfactory for deactivating sprinklers in all circumstances.
Lift apparatus (whether by spring or screw operations) are also known for deactivating sprinklers, wherein a lower portion of the device is positioned against the deflector plate and an upper portion of the device is raised into plugging interface with the nozzle. See, e.g., U.S. Pat. No. 2,417,265 (issued Mar. 11, 1947), U.S. Pat. No. 2,520,588 (issued Aug. 29, 1950), U.S. Pat. No. 2,743,782 (issued May 1, 1956), U.S. Pat. No. 3,191,685 (issued Jun. 29, 1965), U.S. Pat. No. 3,223,171 (issued Dec. 14, 1965) U.S. Pat. No. 3,550,687 (issued Dec. 29, 1970), U.S. Pat. No. 3,976,141 (issued Aug. 24, 1976), U.S. Pat. No. 4,638,866 (issued Jan. 27, 1987), U.S. Pat. No. 5,560,430 (issued Oct. 1, 1996), U.S. Pat. No. 6,575,252 (issued Jun. 10, 2003), U.S. Pat. No. 7,743,838 (issued Jun. 29, 2010), and U.S. Pub. Pat. No. 2006/0042803 (published Mar. 2, 2006). Lift apparatus are sometimes unsatisfactory for deactivating sprinklers because such apparatus require careful, tedious, or difficult positioning and manipulation of the lift to plug the nozzle in a fluid tight manner. Frequently, installation of a lift apparatus involves extended exposure to toxic sprinkler discharge or the unsafe practice of climbing a wet ladder to reach the sprinkler. Lift apparatus are also unsatisfactory because the same do not accommodate different volume sprinkler heads. That is to say, lift apparatus are not typically configured for stopping both sprinklers for one half inch NPT and sprinklers for three quarters inch NPT. This means that multiple versions of a lift apparatus must be used depending on the sprinkler system. Additionally, lift apparatus, like wedge apparatus, must be manually removed from a sprinkler with a consequence that the sprinkler cannot automatically activate in view of an unexpected fire.
Finally, wedge, lift, capping, and balloon apparatus are not capable of plugging sheared or otherwise severely damaged sprinklers.
In view of the foregoing, a need still exists for apparatus and related methods of deactivating a sprinkler without the drawbacks or shortcomings of known apparatus for the same purpose.